Racing apparatus



w. c. FRD

meme APPARATUS June 30, 1953 2 insets-Sheet: "1

Filed April 3, 1950 ////j// //l //l l/ IN V EN TOR.

ATFGRNEYS June 30, 1953 w, c. FORD moms APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shee t 2Filed April 3, 1950 .YI/I/l/l/l/fi.

Fi 0 34 g 14 INVENTOR.- WILLIAM c: FORD Ream w ATTORNEYS Patented June30, .1953

UNITED OFFICE inane" 'AIgrA R'A ihis" lWillifiiii'ZFiitd, Anabvefi Mass:flpplication-npriie 1950,"Serial other", at contihu'allii changingcaterer speed} th'espeed be'ing controlled by chance.

1 am aware that t efi rc csed their van'ce such racing" figuresby"pl'aci'ri"g'therrf on" moving belts, roller conveyers, revolving coilsprings "or vibrating er" oscillatingplatforms. Tfiislneth'dd or a vanem nt iSWheLt'I can the" direct i'nethodin'that'thefigiiieadvarfce's'be'ca "e" the "race course advances; Of' cohrsfewitlf race 'course'fa'nd 'figiffe 515th "the direction the illusion" of"facing: is secret; at lessened andf therefore avoid this construction;

ram also aware thatcert'a ifidiiect'ihethod's" oradvan'cem'erit havebeeii'prcpo'semtc overcome" the above disadvantage; 'suchasprovidirig'aslot te'd race coursewhich remains" stationary while the racing figureis propelled albn'g'the 'g'ili'cld'sldt by means of a periodicpush'r'ecelved Home moving member underneath the race course. In suchdevices the racing figme'usuaimissupported by forward and rear wheelsresting 'on'the race course and has a dpendin iarmprojecting through theguide Slot and into the path of actuators on the'm'ovin'g. member. w

M y device is ofthe type'justdescribed' in that it has an upper memberwhich is' slotted and corresponds to a racecourse. In addition; each ofmy racing 'figures as a depefridingiaifm p g jecting through a gu deSlot and into the of actuators carried by a lower member, My' apparatusdiifers from other such indirectly actua-ted devices, however in tlienovelfea'tures ex-v plained hereafter. v I A One of the objectsot myinvention is to provide a racing figure with the appearance of agalloping animal, the figure being so termed;- and somounted on theupper-member of the amusement device, that it simulatesgalloiaingas itisactuated from below. I V Y Another object of myinventionis anamusementdevice-having slotsthe upper member to guide my new racing figures andhaving a lower member provided with fixed actuators arranged to rockeachfigure as itadvances the figures abreastof each other.- t

A further object of; myinve'ntion" is to provide an improvedchance-actuator on the lower; menu bar arranged to change'i-ts contactrelation-with each racing figure and thus to continually varythe'rateofadvancement ofeach-figure;

.,A sum further obit or; my invention" is :toprovide an amusement devicecomprising racing the" uart -en 2 figureswmcrr appeaf'to gallop as" the?advance, at chance determined rates of speedalong a swttec'ucper member;"the "upper member" being either straight or "cfrciilarand being eithermov iiig" ors'tatioii'a asf'desc ibe'dl- By'tli'efterr'ri fiifed actiator, I- mean a strip ofn'iatrial fiiiedacross' th'e path of the dependof racifigfigiirfs'which rocks and slides said figiir'e's on their"pivots a similar amounteacl-i timebbfitact'b'etweefi them is made.By'the t'eFfni' -Tiaiie'e' actuator-g? I" mean an actu-v ato ilarlylocated but" having irregularities on it's ii'rface' and belng'inovablewhereby each time contact isinade tlie figures' are afiected in The mostafiliafitageoiis" embodiment of m invention simulates a race of'fo'urlegged animals Siich' asedgs drhorses'. I have discovered that racingfigures" having a depending arm extending belowft'h'e figure a'ndthrougha slot can be caused'to" rock from front to rear like a running fourlegged animal if pivoted, weightedandactuatedas described herein. 7 V

The racing'figures of my device are supported on' a"s:1'1gle transverse'p'inextending across a giiide slot intheuppermember, so that the figureis what I can rockably mounted; This is in contransduction to previousdevices in which the figure'n'iay'be' a horsejon wheels, or a racingcar"; so guided on a track'that instead of rocking,- tliey pr'ogres'ssmoothly when'pushedf rom below.

The deiiendi'rigi arm O'f m'y racing figure not pivoted to the figure asin prior devices, which I have been designed to allow the figure toad'vance in a horizontal position. Instead the depending. arm 'is'integral with my racingfigure whereby" when the depending arm is struckby actuating elements o'n the lower member, the figure slides alongtheguide slot as it rocks backwardj onits pivot andthe figure thenrocksforwere to its original position The motion developed 'is not a smoothm0- mentary drawing forward of the figure but rather Y an impulsemomentarily counteracting the otgravity is directly'below-the figure,the figure may advance, biit not-in thedesiredmariner.

so constructedthe figure tends to catch on: the

actuators to b'e linockedout of the slot and may I 3 swing haphazardlyand occasionally advance to the end of the slot without stopping at all.

To overcome this disadvantage I may use a figure having a depending armof light material and so weighted in the nose of the figure, above andin front of the single transverse pivot pin, that the centre of gravityis at the front of the figure. When rocked backward the figure instantlyreturns to its normal position of rest on the actuator carrying memberin this construction.

I prefer, however, to use a racing figure the integral depending arm ofwhich is heavier than the figure above the slot and is curved forwardlytoward the nose of the simulated animal thus placing the center ofgravity not only below the moment of force about the pivot is thus soarranged that each time the depending armis lifted by an actuatingmember, the figure moves along the slot while it rocks back and rocksforward to its normal position. g

I also prefer to construct my device so that the slotted upper member isfixed and the lower member which carries the actuating element movesbeneath the upper member. The upper and lower members may be circular,in simulation of a curved track or they may be straight in simulation ofa straightawayjrace.

However, Imay construct my invention with a moving slotted upper memberrevolving above a lower member which is fixed, in the manner of a wheelof chance. In'this embodiment I use the same type of rocking figure witha depending arm such as is used with the fixed track orrace course, butthe arm extends rearwardly opposite to the direction of travel of theupper member. Thehead of the racing figure may be faced in the directionof travel of the upper member or in the opposite direction, in eithercase preserving the illusion of a racebetween galloping figures.

With a moving upper member, each time a figure is carried past anactuator on the lower member, the weight of 'the figure is temporarilycounterbalanced and the upper member goes out from under it a' slightamount. Thus each figure progresses with relation to the upper member,upon each actuation; in the/direction opposite to the direction oftravel of the upper member. As illustrated in the drawings, thismodification of my device is preferably circular although it is obviousthat it could also be constructed as a straightaway course.

A particularly novel feature ofmy invention is the actuating elementswhich give my racing figures the illusion of continually galloping orrunning animals. In prior devices the actuators may consist of knots ina cable or upstanding lugs carried by a belt each arranged to engage apart of the racing figure, push it forward slightly and release itcausing the figure to advance intermittently by a series of advances andhalts.

My actuators are preferably evenly spaced on the lower member and extendcompletely across the same thus giving each figure an equal impulse asthe actuators contact the depending arm of each figure. For example ifthere are six racing figures and eight transverse actuators spaced alongten inches of the lower member, each of the six figures will appear tomake eight ten inches of the lowermember.

In the circular'construction of my device, where the inside slots areproportionally shorter than the outside slots I may compensate by usingactuators which are progressively higher as they approach the outerperiphery, thus giving a correspondingly greater impulse to the outerracing figures. I may also compensate by increasing the friction betweenthe pivot pin and upper member for the inner racing figures so that theyencounter more frictional resistance than those figuresin the. outsideslots. Of course, the outer figures travel ata; greater speed than theinner figures and thus receive a greater lift from the actuator, thisgreater lift also serving to equalize the rate of travel of the figures.

The competition between figures, in other words, the racing or chanceelement of my device,

consists in the novel revolving actuator which Iintersperseamong thefixed actuators on my lower member. I prefer to use one chance actuatorwith every six or seven fixed actuators because I have found that thehuman eye cannot detect the influence of such a proportion of chanceactuators during the steady forward progression of my rocking, racingfigures. However, it is obvious that all my actuators could be of thechance type or any desired proportion of the tinue to gallop forwardsteadily however, each same could be used to give various effects to therace.

My chance actuators may be of greater or less height than the fixedactuators and may be con stantly revolved by contact with the arm ofeach racing figure or by means of gears'or friction wheels driven'by themoving member. I provide permutations which may be in the form of cutout sections in each chance actuator in the path of the depending armsof my racing figures so that as the actuator is revolved, certain racingfigures will be rocked and moved more or less than the others. I preferan occasionally slipping friction drive for my chance actuator so thatthere is no danger of repetition of cycles as the moving memberadvances. However, a positive gear drive, in view of the positioning andvariety of shape and size of the cut out sections and friction betweenfigure and race course gives an excellent result.

In operation my racing figures are started in a straight row in slots inthe upper member and, as the lower'member contacts them from below, thefigures may advance neck and neck and galloping evenly for a shortdistance. Then as a chance actuator contacts them one or more figureswill be rocked and slid a different amount and will lose ground or gainground with relation to the-remaining figures. The figures conrocking onits pivot until another chance actuator makes contact. The failure ofseveral more figures to rock and slide the same amount as other figureswill again change their relative positions and the race thus continuesto a finish line.

I provide a'pivcted sweeping arm to return the figures to their originalposition in my circular race course typeand may usea sliding arm toreturn them in the straightaway type. I also provide an electric orspring driven motor, to give motion tothe moving member of my deviceand'may provide suitable speed changing mechanism therefor, all wellknown in the art.

The speed at which'my moving member travels relation to the fixed memberis preferably just sufiicient to make each racing figure slide along theupper member as it-rocks without preceptibly losing contact with'saidupper member. If operated at high speed the figures might be joltedmember 8U may have slots 8|, 8! of unequal length, as in Fig. 7, eachslot having a starting point 82, and a finish point 83 on radial linesfrom the centre. The upper member 80 is pivoted for rotation above thecentre of lower member 90 and is supported on a bearing 84 upon which itmay be spun by the hand of the operator or it may be power driven by anysuitable means as indicated in other forms of my invention.

Fixed actuators 9|, 9! and chance actuators 92, 92, may be used to giveimpulses to racing figures J, J in the manner explained above. However,I may provide a circular toothed rack 85, concentric with 80, andattached to the underneath portion thereof to give a positive drive tospur or bevel gears 95 adapted to revolve chance actuators 92. In suchcases I avoid a construction in which the circumference of gear 95 is adivisor of the circumference of gear rack 85 thus assuring that theelement. of chance is practically infinite. It is obvious that I canalso use pins depending from 86 to periodically rotate gears 95 and thatsuch projecting elements can be rigid or flexible as desired. While thegreater speed of the figures in the outer slots 8! with the consequentgreater lift from the actuators tends to compensate for the greaterlength of such slots, the fixed actuators and chance actuators may alsobe tilted or inclined as in Figure 3 or 5 to effect such compensationwhere necessary or desirable.

As an alternative method of compensating for the'difference in length ofcircular slots such as 8!, as shown in Fig. 8, I may use slots such asISO which are of equal length in which case my actuators may be ofuniform height.

In Fig. 9 I show the preferred form of my racing figure such as F, H,and J.

'In Fig. 8, I show a racing figure J having its depending arm 2l2extending in a direction opposite to the nose or front 2l3 of thefigure. As figures J rock in slots I00 and are carried in a circularpath by revolving upper member I80, certain of the figures J lose groundto other figures due to the chance actuators such as 92. The centre ofgravity of J is in the rear of pivot M4. The figures J are shown nearthe finish line of the slots I00 which line is to the left of Fig. 8.

In dotted lines is shown the position my racing figure assumes when thepart 14 of i2 is contacted by an actuator, the pivot pin P having beenslid along the upper member and the figure rocked backward slightly onthe pivot. Also in dotted lines is shown the portion M of I2 in itsfinal position after actuation when the figure H has rocked forwardagain due to the centre of gravity of the figure being in front of pivotpin P.

In Fig. 10, a modification is shown in the figure O pivoted on a pin Pand having a depending portion ll2 with a curved bottom H4.

Arm H2 is integral with the figure 0 but may example, in Fig. 10, I showan-adjustable weight 220 on the tail T of the figure Oto permit suchchanges.

In certain modifications of my invention particularly when constructedfor full size riders, I may provide stops-such as H5 and ilfi simulatingthe legs of the animal and may attach at the ends thereof a resilientmember such as coil springs H! and ,l lBto prevent the throwing of therider and to quickly return the figure to its normal positionafteractuation.

Figs. Hand 13 show the preferred form of my chance actuator 0illustrating the cut out portions 35, 36, 31, 38, in the cylinder 32 andthe manner in which it is carried in bearings 34 and may be revolved bya wheel such as .39.

A modified form of chance actuator K is shown in Figs. 12 andld in whicha cylinder I20 carried on a shaft 423, in bearings I24, and revolved inany convenient manner, may have a strip of material such as rubberspiraled aroimd the surfaceand fixed at each end I26 and I21 to thecylinder.

It is apparent that my chance actuators C or K may be so mounted as toeither hold back certain of the figures or to give certain figures anadditional actuation.

If desired, additional chance elements may be added to my device such asthe manually operated horizontal slotted disc L, shown in dotted linesin Fig. 4, as rotatably mounted at 210 proximate the end 53 of tracks 58and adapted to normally permit only one figure H to enter a slot such as2 in the disc and progress to the end of its slot.

Disc L may be rotated about post 210 by manual or power means and theperipheral opening of each slot 2H is just wide enough to accommodate,at most, the depending arms of two adjacent racing figures. In noposition of rest, therefore, can the edge of disc L stop all the racingfigures and inmost positions of rest it will permit only one figure toadvance along its slot. 1 I I may provide a plurality of slots 220 indisc L, in addition to slots 2H, each of which may be of diiferentlengths in order to bar the further advance of the racing figures atdifferent distances from the end of their respective slots.

I claim:

1. In a figure racing apparatus: an upper member having a row ofelongated track slots; a lower member having at least one immovablymounted, regularly surfaced actuator and at least one irregularlysurfaced, revolubly mounted, chance actuator spaced thereon beneath andtransverse to said slots, the irregular surface of each chance actuatorbeing mounted to revolve around an axis substantially transverse to thedirection of said slots; means for imparting motion to one of saidmembers relative to the other, and racing figures, rockably pivoted onsaid upper member, each having an arm depending through, and extendingsubstantially below, a slot and adapted to be impelled along said slotswith a rocking motion by contact of said arm with the regular andirregular surfaces presented thereto by said actuators.

2. In a figure racing apparatus: an upper member having a row ofelongated track slots; a lower member having at least one immovablymounted, regularly surfaced actuator and at least one irregularlysurfaced, revolubly mounted chance actuator spaced thereon beneath andtransverse to said slots, theirregular surface of negates eanh' chanceactuator being mountedto revolve rmember having a row ofelflilgatedtrack, slots;

a,;low,er member having atileastone immovably mounted, re r-1yfacedaetuatQr-and. at

rileas onegirr l rly surfaced; .revolu ly molmted chance actuator spacedthereon beneath and transverse tofl'said slots,the irregular surface ofeach reliance actuator being mounted to revolve around an,- axissubstantially-transverse to the directionof said slots means for impargting'motion to-oneof said members relative to the other, and racingfigures rockably pivoted on saidnupper member, each having an armdepending through and extending substantially below a slot and adaptedto be impelled along said slots with a rocking motion by contact of saidarm with the regular and irregular surfaces presented thereto by saidactuators, each fixed actuator being identical and each chance actuatorbeing revoluble by the moving member to contact each arm with aconstantly varying actuation.

4. In an amusement device having an upper member provided with a row ofelongated figureguiding tracks, a racing figure rockably mounted in eachtrack and having an arm depending substantially below said track, alower member and means for moving one member relative to the other in aclosed path, at least some of said path being in a plane parallel to theplane of saidother member, the combination of at least one irregularlysurfaced, revolubly mounted chance actuator on said lower member andunder said tracks, each chance actuator being adapted to rock eachfigure and to move each figure in its track in unequal amounts, by therotation of its irregular surface with each circuit of the path of saidlower member.

5. In an amusement device having an upper member provided with a row ofelongated figureguiding tracks, a racing figure rockably mounted ineach. track and having an arm depending substantially below said trackin a position to be contacted by actuators, a lower member and means forimparting horizontal movement to one member relative to and parallel tothe other, the combination of a plurality of actuators spaced along saidlower member under said tracks, at least one of said actuators beingfixed and adapted to rock and advance all of said figures equally and atleast one of said actuators being rotatable on a fixed axis transverseto the direction of said tracks, and having an irregular surface adaptedto rock and advance all of said figures in unequal amounts by theoperation of chance.

6. In a figure racing apparatus, an upper member having a row ofelongated track slots: a lower member having a plurality of regularlysurfaced actuators and at least one irregularly surfaced, rotatable,actuator spaced thereon transversely beneath said slots; means forimparting manor;- to one-of said. members relative to and parallel tothe otherg racing figures rockablyand -slidab1ymounted in said track--slots each having an arm dependingthrough and substantially below aslot'which coacts with said actuators to slide each figure with arocking "motion -along a track slot in the upper member,

anda horizontal disc, revolubly mounted on said upper member, below-thetrack slots and proximate the end of the path ofthe arms of all said'figures hai ing-cutout portions adapted to permit the arm of onlybnefigure'to reach the eridof itstrack-sloti 7; In a figure racing;apparatus, an upper gmemberhaving a rowof elongated track slots;

a'lower member having a plurality of regularly surfaced actuators and atleast one irregularly surfaced, rotatable-- actuator spaced thereontransversely-"beneath said" track: slots means for imparting motion toone of said members relative to and 'para'llel to th'e other; racingfigures; rockably and s'lidably mounted in said track slots, each havingan arm dependingthroughand substantially i below a track -slotwhichco-acts with said actuators toslide each figure with a rocking motionalong atrack slot in the upper member; and 'aznehance-contrelledhorizontal disc, revolubly mounted under the ends of the track slots inthe upper member, the peripheral edge of said disc forming a barrier forthe depending arms of said racing figures and said edge having aplurality of spaced radially extending disc slots, the peripheralopening of each disc slot being just large enough to accommodate twoadjacent depending arms and the length of each disc slot coincidingwith-the ends of said track slots, whereby, regardless of the positionof rest of said disc, at least one racing figure may pass along a discslot to the end of its track slot.

8. In a figure racing apparatus the combination of an upper memberhaving a row of elongated trackslots; a lower member; means forimparting movement to one of said members relative to the other; saidmovement being in a closed path, at least some of which is in a planeparallel to the plane of said other member; racing figures rockablypivoted on said upper member and each slidable in a slot therein; anirregularly surfaced, chance actuator mounted on said lower'member torevolve on a fixed, substantially horizontal axis and extending beneathand transverse to all of said slots, and an arm on each racing figuredepending downwardly through its slot and extending forwardly of itspivot, all of said arms being adapted to engage the revoluble, irregularsurface of said chance. actuator during each circuit of the path ofmovement of one member relative to the other member.

9. A combination as specified in claim 8 wherein the slots areconcentric with radial start and finish lines and the chance actuator isradial and gradually increases in height above the lower member as itapproaches the periphery thereof.

10. A combination as specified in claim 8 wherein the revolubly mountedchance actuator is revolved by an operative connection to said movingmember.

11. A combination as specified in claim 8 wherein the upper member ismounted to revolve around a central pivot carried by a stationary lowermember.

12. In a figure racing apparatus having an upper member with elongatedtrack slots, a lower member, co-extensive with said upper member, meansfor moving one member relative tothe other in a closed path at leastsome of which path is in av plane parallel to said other member and aplurality of racing figures, each rockably and slidably mounted in aslot and having a single integral arm depending downwardly through'saidcluding mechanism for continuously changing the amount of actuationimparted thereby to each figure with each circuit of the path of saidmoving member. 7

13. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein the slots in said uppermember are concentric with radial start and'finish lines, a centralpivot is provided around which one of said members revolves and the armcontacting surface of each regularly surfaced actuator is ofprogressively greater height'above said lower member as it approachesthe outer periphery thereof.

14. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein the slots in said uppermember are concentric and of equal length and one of said members ismounted for rotative motion relative to the other.

15. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein the upper member isstationary and provided with concentric track slots, the lower member ismounted to rotate around a central pivot below said upper member, eachracing figure is supported by a single transverse pivot pin resting onsaid upper member and the centre of gravity of each racing figure is infront of said pivot pin.

WILLIAM C. FORD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 870,473 S-chultze Nov. 5,1907 1,469,657 Magwood Oct. 2, 19231,851,900 Graham Mar. 29, 1932 2,205,459 Bardega June 25, 1940 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 54,345 Switzerland July 9, 1910 297,920Great Britain Oct. 4, 1923 478,111 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1938 832,934France July 11, 1938

